What if you were the lucky beneficiary of a life insurance policy without even knowing it?

What if you were the beneficiary of a life insurance policy without even knowing it? Don't worry—there are ways to find out! Here are the steps to take if you think you might be the beneficiary of such a policy but don't have the information you need to locate it.
 

First of all, what is an unclaimed life insurance policy? It is a life insurance policy for which the death benefit could not be paid to the beneficiary after the policyholder’s death because the insurer was unable to identify the beneficiary. The Eckert Act requires insurers to consult the National Registry for the Identification of Individuals (RNIPP) annually to verify whether the insured has died and to conduct searches to locate the beneficiaries. If, despite these efforts, the policy remains unpaid after ten years, it is transferred to the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC).
 

It is important to note that other types of contracts, such as bank accounts, employee savings plans, or retirement savings plans, may also become unclaimed and be transferred to the CDC, in accordance with specific rules. The CDC holds the funds for 20 years, during which time beneficiaries may come forward to claim the money. After this period, the funds become the property of the government and can no longer be claimed.
 

If you believe you are the beneficiary of a life insurance policy whose policyholder has passed away, here are the steps you need to take to locate the policy:
 

1. You make a claim during the probate process: If a loved one has recently passed away and you know that they named you as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, but you do not have any additional information, you can ask the notary handling the estate to consult the Registry of Life Insurance and Capitalization Contracts (FICOVIE). This registry lists all life insurance and capital accumulation policies taken out with insurance companies in France. The data is retained for 30 years after the policy’s termination date. By following this procedure, you should obtain enough information to contact the insurance company and notify it of the policyholder’s death, so that the policy can be settled.
 

2. Search within 10 years of the policyholder’s death: For 10 years following the insured’s death, the funds are held by the insurance company. During this period, you can use the life insurance policy search service provided by Agira (Association for the Management of Insurance Risk Information). To do so, fill out an online form and provide the policyholder’s death certificate, as well as the full names and mailing addresses of the potential beneficiaries. Agira has 15 days to process your request and consult all market participants (insurance companies, mutual insurance companies, pension funds, etc.). If a matching policy is found, the company has one month to notify the identified beneficiary and explain the steps to follow to receive the benefits.
 

3. Check if the policyholder’s death occurred more than 10 years ago: After 10 years, the life insurance policy becomes unclaimed, and its balance is transferred to the CDC for a period of 20 years. If you believe you are the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, you can request the return of the funds through the Ciclade.fr website. To do so, start a search by entering the name, date of birth, and date of death of the policyholder. 

If a match is found, create a personal account and provide the requested supporting documents, including proof of your identity and the policyholder’s death. You can then submit your claim to the CDC for review. If the claim is approved, you will receive the funds owed to you via bank transfer. While your claim is being processed, you can track the progress of each step directly online through your personal account.
 

There are several ways to track down a life insurance policy for which you may be the beneficiary, even if you don’t have all the necessary information. Feel free to follow these steps to find out if you’re the lucky beneficiary of such a policy!